54 



Murder in the Seventeenth Century. 



their arrears. Brimful of loyalty and anticipated wealth, they 

 declared they would spend this extra money, each man, in the 

 purchase of a ring, whose posie should be the King's gift, as an 

 earnest and memento that they would always be ready, when His 

 Majesty's service, and none but his, should call them to their duty. 1 



Soon came the first New Year's Day of the Restoration. 



In March, 1661, His Majesty's judges arrived at Gloucester. Mr. 

 Justice Robert Hyde sat on the Crown side. He was a son 

 of the late Chief Justice, Sir Nicholas Hyde, of Heale, Wilts, and 

 a cousin of Lord Clarendon's, and in 1663 became Chief Justice of 

 the Queen's Bench. His monument and remains are in Salisbury 

 Cathedral. 



The three Perrys were brought before him on the indictment 

 for the murder of Mr. Harrison. 



Some here may have been present at a trial for murder, and have 

 witnessed the deep anxiety there is usually amongst all who are en- 

 gaged upon it. How each word is weighed with nicety. How 

 looks and actions of witnesses are carefully observed in search of 

 truth. Who can forget the production of some weapon or garment, 

 telling its tale of violence or bloodshed. Solemn, no doubt, was the 

 scene then at Gloucester. Anxious, it should have been, because the 

 chief evidence against the prisoners was the confession of one of 

 them ; most sad that a mother could be there, with her two sons on 

 such a charge. We can picture the three trembling in the dock as 

 the charge is read. To the general surprise, they all three pleaded 

 not guilty. John Perry was reminded of his confession, but he 

 said he was mad when he made it, and they all averred that they 

 were neither guilty of that nor of the housebreaking and robbery 

 of the £140, which they had confessed a«b the previous assizes. 

 The trial proceeded. Some leading counsel, we may presume, 



1 If I had given them a motto it would be that of an old Grand Commander 

 at Malta, who, when he wanted a loan (which he afterwards honourably paid) 

 had engraved on a hastily-made coinage, " Non Ms sed fides " — not money but 

 faith ; for we well know how soon King Charles the Second's coffers became 

 empty. Do any of these rings still exist ? 



